splendour and glamour

i last left off in pender harbour after crossing the salish sea, only a week ago now but it seems an age! it has been a busy, fulfilling week, full of so many great things.

for our time in pender harbour, we were anchored in garden bay. it is on the “far side” of the harbour from madeira park, the area’s centre. pender harbour is quite large and has lots of geographical features that make it even larger than it seems. the entire place is ringed with houses, from upper-class modest to eye-goggling mansions - last time we were here we nicknamed it “splendour harbour”, or “little whistler by the sea”. almost every single place has foreshore access, many with piers and docks lined with expensive boats. the bougie factor is a bit much, but the way the whole place is connected to the water is actually pretty cool. back in the day, the place probably would’ve been a sight to see.

building the honeyflower lodge out on the point, rafiki in sight

we spent one whole day in ‘splendour’ harbour, exploring the shore trail near us, buzzing around the water to admire peoples’ scenes (both glam and regular), and took a longer jaunt through the narrows at the east end of the harbour into gunboat bay. we were amused by a teeny weeny tug-style cruiser boat, got a warning splash from a seal in the narrows, then eventually made our way to the town centre for an explore. it was an almost-hot, sunny, summery day - and it was lovely to spend it as a family.

exploring the harbour, dipping off the ladder, piled under mum in the tender

the next morning we did much of the same till about noon, at which point we met up with grandpa wayne at the government dock so he could whisk the kids away once again. he and his mother betty greeted us at the pier, and we made a pretty short goodbye of it all. the kids were excited to go to grandpa wayne’s again, if momentarily apprehensive, and merrily waved us away to head on their own adventure!

and then there were two.

with tremendous gratitude to wayne, we headed back to the boat to find…. peace and quiet. being on a family adventure is amazing - i love looking at the world through the eyes of my children, pointing things out that they wouldn’t know, explaining things to them that are commonplace knowledge to grown-ups (i exclude myself from that particular title, ahem), getting excited about the little things, and helping them fill in the spaces of the world around them. but of course, they are loud and messy and take up a lot of space!

so we basked for another sunny afternoon, without anyone needing us or something from us. we just were, and it was lovely.

next morning after a stop at the docks for showers, water, and a peep at the thrift store, we were on our way once again. winds were high, and we had reefed sails soon out of the harbour into malaspina strait. not long into the day, aaron realized the steering was less responsive than it should be, so we attempted a heave-to maneouvre to put oil into the hydraulic steering system. the heave-to only sort of worked with the headsail reefed - a heave-to being when you back your headsail without tacking so you kind of stall/slow down - but it was enough break in motion to make only a small mess with the oil. with the steering once again under control, we carried on.

ultimately we were making our way to egmont, but for that day our goal was ballet bay, a sheltered cove on the far side of nelson island. as much as we were hauling in the morning winds, they fizzled on us and we found ourselves motoring into blind bay, then slipping between rocks and shallows into ballet bay.

large mansions dotted the shores, though not so densely as pender harbour. all had piers and docks, some appearing inhabited and others not. it’s baffling to see many of these dwellings are peoples’ vacation homes - some with tremendous vaulted ceilings and broad

chimneys - only to be used for short parts of the year. a few that we passed even had their own personal breakwaters… the monetary input for infrastucture like that makes my mind reel.

ballet bay itself, however, had a few crumbling cabins and a rotted pier, which made it seem a bit more on the wild side - which is how we like it. across from our anchorage was a large-yet-modest cabin with a curious collection of big fancy boats tied to the dock, and more arrived while we were there, yet we saw nobody… it was a mystery we never solved. we said goodnight to smooth waters, with the glowing hulk of the mainland looking down on us across the way.

the next day was slated to be stormy, so we called it a harbour day and stayed put. it was just as well we did, as it rained. all. day. all day we kept waiting for a break in the rain to go for a shore explore, and all day we waited. with no kids to entertain, we lazed about, watching movies and reading and napping - i must say, it was bliss. only after dinner did the drizzle finally let up, so we were able to go for a row about the shore. there were starfish galore studding the rocks below the surface, and a couple of creeks dumping into the bay. it was interesting to see land looking so familiarly wild, and then just around the bend an enormous house looming over the water with 'no trespassing' signs peppering the shore. i suppose i can appreciate that the people didn’t flatten the land for their own interests, yet it always irks me to be told i can’t set foot on shore. anyway, it started to rain again so we closed up and called it a night.

the same view, evening and morning

the next day couldn't have been more different. we awoke to crisp skies and calm waters, a radiant morning inspiring for our early start. we needed to be with the tide, as we were ultimately heading towards powerful water and wanted to be as safe as possible. we cut across the rest of blind bay, laying eyes on more atrociously large holiday homes, before finding the stealthy entrance of telescope pass. it hides on the nelson island side and wasn't directly visible from our angle of approach until we were just about on it. the pass was tidal (in our favour) and soon spilled us out in the beginning of jervis strait.

the edge of the mainland is so dramatic. the voluminous peaks that line the coast somehow speak of the vastness of the continent beyond. clouds tucked between each massive fold of land defined all the clefts and valleys, more than one would assume looking at the towering wall of blue blatantly defining the water before us. the winds were fair and our sails were raised, and so we were whisked along humbly at the feet of giants.

the impressive beginning of jervis inlet

with three sails raised, we felt pretty excited (and maybe a little bit awesome) sailing to a wedding! we don't often fly the staysail, but it seemed like just the occasion to pull all the stops. the winds were just so that we were able to sail almost all the way to the dock - in fact,

we only turned on the motor to be in control as we arrived at the dock, because the tides were already running hard.

for anyone who doesn't know, the (very) small town of egmont is right next to the skookumchuk rapids. these aptly named rapids (skookum meaning 'strong' and chuk meaning 'ocean') can run up to 17 knots and have a fierce reputation for causing havoc among boaters; some (insane) people like to surf their kayaks in the standing waves (grandpa wayne being one of them, in younger years)! the tide begins to pull with force even a kilometre away, which was where the backeddy marina - our destination - is located.

we had our eye on an inside slip, but a dockhand quickly scuttled to the outside finger and waved us over that way instead. once we tied up, he told us they don't let anyone tie up on the inside when the tide is flooding because they get swept down 'the chute' and smash into other boats! the way the water was running, i believed it.

the current - at the dock!

regardless of the currents, it was a splendid place to be as we were looking right up at the wedding venue. a welcome barbecue was to be hosted that afternoon, but it was only mid-day, so we lounged about, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the activity on the water, me periodically gazing up at the wilderness lodge and wondering where my friend the bride might be.

finally the hour was upon us to head up, so we took the short walk up the hill to the wilderness lodge. it was a beautiful old building, all rustic wood floors and a vaulted ceiling with enormous peaked windows looking out toward jervis inlet. first nations masks and artwork adorned the walls of the main room, along with relics of industry past, and beautiful covered patios flanked either end of the building. the best part: looking out over the large baclony to the water below, we could see our trusty ship, sitting pretty at her slip just right there.

we made ourselves comfortable by the huge stone fireplace, sinking into deep armchairs and admiring the carved log columns holding up the mantle. we daydreamed about having a boat big enough to have a recliner on it (ha! but really...), ending the thought with a wistful one day... and then we caught sight of madeleine, the bride-to-be! she and i have been good friends since high school (staggeringly HALF OUR LIVES AGO omg), though we hadn't seen each other in a few years. we had our hellos, but of course she had many people to greet, so she introduced us to some friends, and so the weekend began.

the barbecue was fun and lovely. the weather was very spring-ish, alternating between sun and rain to give the coast around us a radiant glow. food was served on the wisteria patio, the roof of which was intertwined by an impressive single wisteria reaching from one end to the other. aaron and i had our fill of delicious salmon burgers, then proceeded to pass the night away making new friends with wonderful people. it carried on to a bonfire over at the backeddy, lasting till the wee hours of the morning.

the view from the lodge - if you look carefully, you can see our mast on the lower left

the next day, a very tired elysia needed a pick-me-up before the real wedding ceremony began, so aaron and i wandered in to 'town'. downtown egmont consists of a store/hotel and a government wharf, and that's about it. yet just nearby is a provincial park (that leads to the narrows), and within that park is the best bakery on earth. part of me was bedgrudged to walk up the hill, but no part of me regretted it once we found the place.

the skookumchuk bakery and cafe is stuffed snugly in the woods, right above a creekbend, and barely visible from the private road in the park. it looks like a house from afar, but up close it holds more treasure than your average dwelling. homemade croissants of ethereal

quality, voluptuous sourdough breads, and cinnamon buns the size of a child's head filled the baking case, with a modest kitchen in behind to crank out these delectable delights. the juicy, buttery layers, melting like a cloud at every bite, were just what i needed (um, and coffee).

with that incredible snackage behind us, we returned to the marina for showers and wedding preparations. soon enough, the time had come, and we dashed up between drizzles of rain to the lodge once again. guests began to filter in, and in no time we were ushered out to the patio to be seated for the ceremony.

we clean up good (:

it was one of the most beautiful moments i have every witnessed in my life. first Murat (the groom) walked in to soft music played by a three piece band. his groomsman and the bridesmaid followed, standing at the outer edge of the patio with the dramatic natural landscape behind them. and then came the bride. maddie was stunning in a long white satin gown, her hair gathered in a sweeping bun and adorned with a fine veil, truly the picture of a graceful bride. by the time madeleine and her dad had made it to the front and had their hugs, everyone was already in tears.

and the tears would not stop! murat and madeleine spoke their most heartfelt vows - both comical and heart-wrenchingly honest at once - and exchanged their rings, everyone tearing up all the while. in a good way of course! happy tears, all around. once the papers were signed, they kissed to seal the deal and that was that! it was actually the most perfect wedding ever.

and then the party began! champagne was passed around and we found our seats - in the most honoured position right beside the bride and groom! that was a pleasant surprise, even more so when they decided they wanted their sweetheart table moved right up against ours. so i had the privilege of being right next to the people of the hour, who i had figured i would barely see at all, and i was truly, truly honoured.

dinner was served (a tasty buffet of salads, veggies, mashed potatoes, wild salmon, and succulent roast beef), speeches were made (none too lengthy, and all on point), and the bar was open (woot!). the evening flowed with happiness and appreciation, for the love of the couple, the outstanding company, and the beauty around us. nature even saw fit to bless the occasion with a staggering double rainbow! it couldn't have been more perfect.

perfection, in more ways than one <3

once again the party carried on late late into the night. the lodge officially kicked us out at 1 am, as they said they would (and to the fierce chagrin of the hardcore dancers), so the party moved yet again to the backeddy. such an excellent crowd surrounded the campfire; i swear five days later i'm still feeding off the energy of that party (in a contrary, sleep-deprived way). as madeleine said, we burnt the midnight oil to its last gasp - i went to bed at 6 am and i wasn't even quite the last one standing! it was worth every moment.

needless to say, sunday was a write-off. my singular quest was to find the bakery again for more coffee and more buttery heaven. not that i was hungover so much as exhausted - with these early summer mornings, it was bright when i went to bed and too bright mere hours later to keep sleeping. my darling skipper fed me apples and tea while i dozed about, till we finally rallied the energy to move to the government dock just down the way. we cast off, waved our farewells to the lodge and all within, then carried on - as we always do.

my "goodnight" view - at 6 am...

well i guess i spent all my good fortune on the wedding, or so the universe must have thought, because i swear i sabotaged myself, as usual. all i said was "i'll be able to make it through this day only because we don't have the kids until tomorrow"... and then of course i got a phone call from wayne saying he would like to drop the kids off today! he had an errand to run in secret cove, and he was already going to make a lengthy journey by coming to egmont, so of course i wasn't about to put him out of his way twice. we agreed on a late drop-off, and then we hustled to the bakery.

one croissant, one cinnamon bun, one coffee, and one divine sandwich later, we made our way along the trail to check out the rapids. i more or less wandered along with my eyes closed, rambling to aaron about this and that. one thing about that lucid state is it prompts creative thinking, so aaron and i had some lovely, deep conversations as we wound our way through the woods. it surely is nice to have the time and space for talks like that, and i deeply appreciated aaron's companionship, tired as i was.

we found the rapids (as if we could miss them), admiring their strength and speed over buttery layers of goodness.

unfortunately we weren't able to wait and watch the tide turn, which would have been extremely cool to see, but we lingered long enough to feel the power in those waters, and shuddered to think of being caught in their unbeatable flow.

soon our time was up, and we made it back to the dock only minutes after wayne and the kids arrived. though we could hardly express ours thanks with words (my brain was pretty much sludge at this point), we gifted wayne a loaf of sourdough from the bakery and tried to convey our gratitude. i think the kids touched his heart the most, with sage bawling her eyes out saying she wanted to go back to wayne's house (she was in a woken-from-a-nap state of delerium, but clearly she loves him). i had to peel her from the car, and we waved fond farewells from the cockpit of rafiki, her crew together once again.

after this tremendous event, we are now officially free of schedules! as we turn our sights to quadra and beyond, it feels good to have no obligations, no commitments, no timing to guide us beyond that of the tides and the whim of the winds. fingers crossed they stay in our favour just a few weeks longer, to push us north, north, north.